


Don't close your eyes

by Alexei2020



Series: Oneshot collection [7]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Marriage, Peter Parker Whump, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:01:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25865560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexei2020/pseuds/Alexei2020
Summary: The only thing that exists is the beautiful honey eyes. He wants to look into them forever. The way they crinkle when he smiles. How they always look at him like he hung the moon, even though Peter is the fucking sun.
Relationships: Peter Parker/Tony Stark
Series: Oneshot collection [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877071
Comments: 1
Kudos: 44





	Don't close your eyes

Tony is elbows deep in dirty dishwater when Friday alerts him that Peter is asking for assistance, which is alarming in itself. Tony can count on one hand the times he’s actually been called for help in all their years together.

Tony technically retired after the horrible incident on Titan, and spiraled down a path of guilt and self destruction he’s not particularly keen on repeating any time soon. 

He has had enough fights with Peter about that to understand he most likely doesn’t have a choice. Peter’s never gonna back down if he can help, and he’s always gonna throw himself head first between victim and danger.

*

_ “Tony, I’m fine! Calm down!”  _

_ He’s most definitely not fine. Lying on that medical bed, hooked up to machines and IV’s, bandaging covering more skin than not. His eyes are hooded and unfocused from the amount of drugs used to numb the pain. _

_ “You’re not fine, Pete! You could have died!” Saying it out loud is making it ten times worse than picturing it in his head. Peter could die. For real this time. No second chances. Tony’s eyes sting and his throat closes up, the lump in his chest rising and threatening to spill over with brutal force. _

_ “We talked about this, Tony.” His voice is so calm, soothing, working as a cooling balm on his heart. “I’m not going to stop. This comes with the job. I’m going to get hurt.” Even high as a kite, he somehow manages to stand his ground and not even waver. _

_ It doesn’t help. It still hurts like hell knowing that one day he might not come home. That despite Tony being two decades older, he might still very well end up the widower. _

* 

Friday guides him through the air, the suit feeling foreign on his skin after years apart. There’s flashing lights and sirens filling the dark night when he approaches the scene. Peter is swinging around, entering the building and jumping back out with terrified people clinging to him.

He looks so composed, focused. He’s not a clumsy teen anymore, heading for whatever without thinking about how to actually go forward. He knows what he’s doing. 

“I’m here, sweetheart. Where do you want me?” He can hear the crackling sound filling his ears while he waits for Peter’s update. He thinks he needs to update the software in his suit when they get home, while he hovers above the busy streets.

“We need to get the people out and away from the building. Clear the block. There’s a bomb, Tony. I’m gonna try and disarm it, but I need everyone to be safe.”

The arguments weigh heavy on his tongue; he can take care of the bomb, get Peter to safety. But a rational part of his brain is sowing his mouth shut. He’s faster than Peter, and can save more people in a shorter amount of time. Peter is already inside, and he probably knows where the bomb is.

“Okay. Be careful.” As if Peter would ever even consider it. He knows how to handle explosives, but being careful is generally a term completely lost to the young hero.

Tony knows that. Has witnessed it several times. And his fragile heart shatters a little with every time.

*

_ The blaring alarm pulls Tony from his own head. Looking up from his project, he spots Peter frantically trying to calm down the massive cloud rising from a beaker. _

_ “Should it be doin’ that?” He’s not a chemist, but he thinks maybe there’s some sort of carve out to this stuff, saying that dark smoke erupting like a volcano is not a good sign. _

_ Peter glares at him, but manages to stop the disaster before they have to evacuate the whole tower. _

_ “Didn’t we have a long talk about being focused while dealing with dangerous things? I distinctly remember something about that, when was it… last week?” He smirks, Peter glares some more and Tony thinks he should quit while he’s ahead so he’s not exiled to the couch. _

_ "Shut up.” _

*

“Friday scanned the area. There’s no one left. How’s it goin’ in there?”

“M’fine. Jus’ need to concentrate for a second.” Good. Peter has control. He knows what he’s doing. He’ll come out any minute now and they can go home. Eat the cold dinner Tony had prepared for them before taking off.

He’s hovering, close enough to step in if he’s needed, but far enough away that Peter won’t worry. He doesn’t need that while handling delicate wires and dangerous materials able to vaporize the whole block.

“Tony…” His voice is small, asking forgiveness, and the world stops spinning. “I need you to listen to me right now, okay?” No. No no no.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m here. Whatever you need.”  _ Please tell me to come get you.  _

“Good. I love you. I love you so fucking much–”  _ You don’t get to say that right now, _ he wants to scream. But his lungs are working overtime trying to get in air, he doesn’t know how to it get back out. “I’m gonna try and get out of here, okay? I can’t stop it. I- I’m sorry. But if I don’t–”

“You’ll make it. I’ll come get you. Tell me where you are. I–”

“If I don’t…” Tony can’t listen to this, to Peter bypassing him, like there’s nothing he can do. He can get to him. “I need you to remember that this is what was always going to happen. Remember the good times, and let me go.” He’s breathless. Running most likely. Tony wants to fly in there. Have Friday locate him. But he’s paralyzed by the calming tone. Like this is somehow okay. Like he can’t die at any moment. “Don’t let this be your downfall.” 

The underlying message is clear as day.  _ I’m not getting out. I won’t make it. _ But Tony refuses to recognize it for what it is. It doesn’t matter how many times they’ve gone over this. 

“Where are you?” Seconds feels like hours as he waits for a response. The crackling sound invades his ears, but there’s no familiar voice filling his helmet with reassurance. “Friday?”

“Karen turned off the communication, boss.” No. No, this isn’t happening. He thrusts forward, towards the building. To Peter. Friday scans it, and a red dot is showing up in front of his eyes. Moving fast, but still too far away from safety.

His vision is the first thing that goes. Next is just a blur of white spots, smoke and ringing in his ears. His armor is scattered around him and there’s a lot of pain he can’t point out.

But his brain is screaming at him to get up. There’s something more important than his injuries he needs to check.

_ Peter. _

With a groan and support from unknown hands he manages to stagger to his feet. In front of him a dark, evil cloud is rising from the ashes where the building now crumbles to pieces of bricks and wood and concrete.

He blinks, trying to clear his vision, searching for the familiar red and blue to come out of the ruins. There’s movements somewhere in the middle of it all. A large piece of a deconstructed wall rises and tips over. And there…

Glowing like a god, standing tall, is the man who invaded Tony’s life. Entered with full force, demolishing every wall he built around himself, just to wrap himself around his heart like a parasite.

He’s limping, and clutching his side. Tony doesn’t waste a second, forcing his aching body to move his feet, one painful step at the time.

“Catch me,” he wheezes. A horrifying gurgling erupting his words as he tries to breathe. His legs disappear from under him, unable to carry him any longer. But that’s okay. Tony is there to take the weight.

They fall to the ground, knees cracking against the rubble. Peter’s mask is torn to pieces, and Tony can see his resigned expression, his body giving in to the injuries.

But he’s looking at Tony with so much love, and a calmness only found with those accepting their loss. Blood seeping out from the corner of his mouth, intensified with a sudden cough.

Honey eyes staring wide at something Tony can’t reach. Glossy and tired. Yearning for what is to come.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t make it.” Tony lets the first tear fall. He whispers with all the tenderness he can muster. "Don’t talk. You did so good. I’m so proud of you. It’s gonna be okay."

He hums and his eyes close, head rolling to rest against Tony’s chest.

“Don’t close your eyes.” He can’t close them. Tony needs to see the beautiful soul living there. He needs to see him awake. Alive. A tiny shake to the shoulder and they flutter open again. There’s a relieved breath leaving, accompanied by more tears streaming down his sooted cheeks.

He just needs a little more time. Just one more minute. But time isn’t relevant now. Time is something obscure without meaning. He can’t see it, so it doesn’t exist.

The only thing that exists is the beautiful honey eyes. He wants to look into them forever. The way they crinkle when he smiles. How they always look at him like he hung the moon, even though Peter is the fucking sun.

He listens to the ragged, wet sound that escapes the perfect, pink lips with every exhale. Lets the hand on his chest follow the shallow movement. 

His eyes flutter again, struggling to keep up with Tony’s wish. But he can’t let them close. Can’t imagine never seeing them again. And somehow, in his own twisted truth, he tells himself that as long as they stay open, Tony can keep the inevitable away.

Keep whatever Peter’s soul is reaching for away long enough for him to start healing.

“Let me go.” Tony shakes his head. No. He can’t do that. He can’t let this happen again. He got Peter back. They promised each other forever. Tony’s forever isn’t here yet.

“Please don’t close your eyes.” His voice cracks. He lets his head fall to meet his husband’s forehead. Forcing them to look at each other. Forcing himself to watch as the pure soul finally grabs the light and leaves. Leaves with the final fall in his chest. Takes the air in his lungs with it as it flies into the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to murder me in the comment section. I feed off the attention. :*


End file.
